Bloodthirst
by Gamemakers
Summary: A request from a very unusual client brings Hux to a remote area of Transylvania, where legend and myth have not yet fully been laid to rest. Within the walls of Starkiller lie secrets of unfathomable evil, and the young solicitor is left with a choice: end the vampire's reign of terror once and for all, or claim the monster as his own, personal prize.
1. Prologue

In Germany, the trains ran perfectly on schedule, as well-timed as a clock. The instant they passed over the border and into the Austro-Hungarian Empire, that efficiency he had come to associate with the Germans in his short time there began to dissipate. Hux had experienced no more than a quarter of an hour's time wasted in his journey from London to Hungary, but he would arrive at his final destination a full day behind schedule. More, if the idiots they allowed to be engineers in this portion of the world didn't finish fixing the engine soon. They had ground to a standstill more than an hour ago, and yet Hux had seen no sign that the repairs would be finished anytime soon.

Under other circumstances, he would have asked his neighbors if it would perhaps be faster to walk to his destination, for according to his map, it couldn't be far away now. However, as he had traveled across Europe, the class of the passengers had gone the way of the timeliness of the train. Hux sat lodged between an old woman who had leaned her weathered, leathery cheek against his shoulder and fallen asleep almost immediately upon coming aboard and not stirred since and a man who reeked of equal parts goats and cheap liquor. Both seemed to be locals, but he doubted either spoke a word of English. A request for directions to Ucigas Stele Castle was rather beyond the small arsenal of Romanian phrases he had learned before beginning his journey, and so Hux resigned himself to waiting for the repairs to be complete.

A dozen wolves howled at once, and a tingle of fear coursed up his spine. Hux had neither seen nor heard any evidence of the creatures in well over an hour, yet these sounded close. He craned his neck to peer out the cramped compartment's single window, but with the lamp burning bright inside and the pitch black sky outside, he could see little. Only his own gaunt, tired face greeted him. Hux settled back as comfortably as he could into his seat and willed himself to fall asleep.

He had almost succeeded when the compartment door opened. "There's someone here to meet you, Mister Hux." The steward was white as a sheet, and his accent colored his words even more than it had earlier in the day.

"Who is it, might I ask?" The woman next to him began to stir as Hux stood, but he paid her little mind.

"A representative of Lord Snoke. You said you were going to Ucigas Stele, yes?"

At that, the woman grabbed the sleeve of Hux's coat. "Nu!" she cried. "El este monstru din iad!"

He tried in vain to tug his coat away from her grip. "Excuse me, but I need to go. I have very important business that I must attend to."

"Nu." She shook her head and continued to hold on with all her might. If she did not let go, he would have no qualms about breaking her fingers. Elderly or not, she had no right to impede him from leaving this compartment. She pressed something into his hand, a small wooden crucifix on a string the correct length to be worn as a necklace. "Domnul fie cu tine." Finally, she released him.

Hux chose to ignore the change. "Yes, I'm supposed to meet with his master." He did not spare the woman so much as a glance as he made his way towards the door, stopping only to grab the briefcase he had stowed on the shelf above him.

The wolves howled again as the steward led him off the train. Thick snow crunched beneath his feet as Hux reached the ground. He strayed no more than a step or two away from the steward, for he could feel the eyes of the wolves upon him. They were so close he could hear their footsteps, and Hux had no doubt that they waited just beyond the tree line for any sign of weakness. The sensation sent goosebumps erupting up and down his arms. "The servant asked that you be brought to his carriage. It is only a short walk from here. Do not worry. Your luggage has already been delivered to him." With that, they took their first steps into the woods. No, not quite into the woods, Hux noted, for they followed a time-worn trail so narrow that they had to proceed single file. He watched the trees closely for any sign of movement, but the area was eerily still. With no wind to rattle the branches that had long since lost their leaves, the trees could have been petrified for how little they moved. A forest of death if there ever was one, and Hux had only a short, slender steward and his own extremely limited abilities to protect him from its dangers.

They turned a corner, and a road became visible. In the dead center waited a black carriage pulled by two enormous horses. Though their midnight coats and deep eyes spoke of the devil, they remained as motionless as statues. Hux saw no sign of a driver, but he spotted his trunks strapped to the top of the carriage, and the door stood open.

The instant he reached the road, he rushed for the carriage, decorum be damned. After nearly a week spent on cramped passenger trains, the plush, velvet-lined interior of the coach felt even more luxurious. A figure appeared, seemingly out of thin air, in front of the door, and Hux jumped, fully expecting it to be a wolf. Instead he found himself confronted by a tall, dark man. "I hope you have had a pleasant journey, Master Hux," he said, his voice deep and flavored with the harsh, husky tones of the East. Hux could see nothing of his face, for his tall hat blocked his features. "Settle in. We shall arrive at Ucigas Stele soon."

He could have sworn that the man closed the door without touching it, and that the wolves began to howl again the very second the carriage began to move, but perhaps those were just the imaginings of a travel-wearied mind.


	2. Children of the Night

**A/N:** This story will contain pretty much all the triggers one might expect of an M-rated vampire AU. Violence, bloodsucking, and sex (including some scenes that could be interpreted as dubious consent) will all be present.

* * *

Hux did not know how much time the carriage ride lasted, only that it transported him to a world he had hardly realized still existed. Certainly over these last several days of traveling he had seen a great many wonderful things: castles, forests, and mountains far beyond any to be found in England or indeed the entirety of Great Britain. Yet all of them had something quaint about them, tamed as they were for civilized sensibilities. Here, the forest grew thick, and glowing yellow-green eyes watched him from behind every bush bordering the bumpy road they traveled. This was a world left untouched by modern man, the true primordial forest.

He caught his first glimpse of the castle as the carriage crested over one of the many tall hills surrounding it. Ucigas Stele jutted out proudly from the trees, tall and sturdy. It lacked the refined elegance of the French chateaux and the fantasy of Bavarian palaces, replacing them with a startling utilitarianism. In his research of this region, Hux had read that most of its castles had begun their lives as forts, a nobleman's single greatest protection against his neighboring rivals. Ucigas Stele's high, boxy walls betrayed such a purpose, though situated as it was, at the very peak of the highest hill in the region, and surrounded on two sides by near-vertical cliff faces, Hux thought the place well-guarded enough by nature alone. He shuddered, as much from excitement as disgust, to think how savage the region must have been to require such fortifications.

It would be nearly impossible to escape, should the need arise. The thought rose unbidden, and Hux dismissed it immediately. He was Lord Snoke's guest, not his prisoner.

While the road thus far had been bumpy, as they neared the castle, the path smoothed. He doubted one could find such a gentle carriage ride even in the best parts of London. Hux hardly noticed when the carriage came to a stop. He was startled when the door opened. "We have arrived, Herr Hux." The brim of the driver's hat was pulled low, covering his eyes, but beneath, Hux could make out full, unusually red lips. In contrast with the rest of his face, which was as pale as any Hux had ever seen, such vitality was especially striking.

The man helped him from the carriage, and again, Hux was struck by the man's unusual strength. Still, he was surprised when the driver lifted the two trunks he had brought with him onto his shoulders and started for the castle. His trunks had required a man each to load them onto the train. Without a word, the driver started for the castle, and for a lack of any other instruction, Hux followed close behind him.

For a long while, Hux wondered if the driver even noticed that he had followed, for he made no move to acknowledge him. They passed through several rooms and a half-dozen labyrinthine hallways in silence, the only sound that of Hux's footsteps against the stone floor. The castle's decor spoke of ancient wealth. Hux had only a passing knowledge of art, but he recognized the tapestries that hung on many of the walls as medieval, actually rather similar in style to those he had seen in the British Museum. However, while those had shown their age with a myriad of moth-bitten holes, these could practically have been made yesterday, so immaculate was their condition. None of the furnishings appeared to be new, and Hux would wager that most dated back a hundred years or more, but like the tapestries, they had been beautifully maintained.

"The master will see you now," the driver said when they reached a heavy wooden door twice the height of an average man. He gave a stiff bow and disappeared, along with Hux's trunks, down the hallway from whence they came.

Hux paused a moment to gather his bearings before he knocked, but though he was certain he had not made so much as a peep, the door swung open. "Good evening, Herr Hux." The man who greeted him could be no other than Lord Snoke himself. He shared the deathly pale skin and plump red lips with the driver, perhaps common features in this region not noted in the references Hux had studied. Snoke was gaunt to the point of skeletal, but he moved with a vigor unusual for a man of his age, which Hux would estimate at sixty or more, as he ushered Hux inside. "Please, do come inside. I do not wish you to stay out in the hall, where it is cold."

He had not thought the castle particularly cold, but Hux had to admit that the warmth radiating from the crackling fire against the far wall was rather pleasant.

"A room has been readied for you. I do trust you will find it most comfortable."

"You do not wish to discuss the estate?" Hux asked, surprised.

"We have a great deal to discuss, none of which cannot wait until tomorrow. Until then, you must rest. You have had a long journey." Snoke led him to a spacious bedroom. The bed looked heavenly, topped as it was with a dozen or more plush pillows, and a second cheery fire sat in the corner.

He wanted nothing more than to sleep for days, but some social niceties could not be ignored. "Thank you, my lord. It's quite hospitable of you."

"Enough talk. Time for sleep."

Hux did not know that he had ever obliged an order quite so quickly.

* * *

 _He sighed and arched back into the pillows as the man found a sensitive spot on his neck. Hux's fingers tangled in thick, dark hair to keep that clever mouth just where it was, his other hand tracing the curves of the stranger's muscular upper arms. Soon, though, he desired more, and he tugged at his hair, trying to coax the man up towards his mouth for a kiss, but in return, he bit down, breaking the delicate skin of Hux's neck. Pleasure, rather than pain, flooded over him, and Hux moaned. At the sound, the man finally broke away, his full, red lips turning up into a smile as he met Hux's eyes._


	3. Stranger in a Strange Land

He gave little thought to the dream. They were hardly an unusual occurrence, after all, having plagued him with illicit fantasies since early adolescence. He had long since learned to ignore them, for he refused to give in to their sweet temptations.

In any case, he had far more important matters to concern himself with. Hux woke late in the afternoon, far later than was polite, but when he had gone to the main room, he found no sign that anyone else was about. However, a cold breakfast sat on the table, waiting for him, and he found a note at the single place setting.

 _Friend Hux,_

 _I hope you will excuse my absence this day. I have a great many matters to attend to in the town, and I expect I will not return until evening. Please do not wait for me to eat, and do make yourself at home._

 _Snoke_

Hux folded the piece of paper neatly in half and set it aside before tucking into his meal. As he had not eaten since supper last night, nearly twenty-four hours prior, he had a hearty appetite, and he devoured several of the rolls that had been left for him. Afterwards, he could find no bell pull to ring for a servant, so he cleared his dishes as well as he could and went back to his room to begin organizing the necessary papers. Hux had not wished to travel to Transylvania, for he was unsure how the firm would continue to run without him, but of all the solicitors at Hux & Patton, he was surely the best-equipped to handle such a matter. Securing such a large property within London, particularly for a foreign national, was no small task, and given the painstaking work that had gone into the purchase, he would be damned if he allowed some incompetent to make the deal fall through at this point.

Though enormous, his bed was not the ideal place to lay out so many documents. During breakfast, he had noticed several other doors leading out from the main room. Hoping that one would lead to an area better suited to his task, he tried the four of them in turn. The first three, as well as the one he believed he had entered through the night before, were locked, but behind the fourth, he found a library. If Snoke had left this open after locking the others, surely he was welcome to go inside.

This area seemed more of a home than the rest of the castle. While what he had seen of Ucigas Stele had certainly been well-appointed, it showed no real signs of use. Here, though, the candles had been burnt nearly to the nub, and books sat open on the many tables, patiently waiting for their reader to come back and finish them. Hux set about arranging the papers. Literature on navigating a lease with the Crown here, photographs of the estate there, the paperwork still awaiting signatures far on the opposite end. Only when he was satisfied that he was thoroughly prepared for the meeting did Hux allow himself to look at the extensive collection of books.

Snoke's tastes, he soon realized, leaned towards the metropolitan. He spotted travel accounts regarding every major European capital as well as guides for such far-flung places as New York and Cairo. But London was his true obsession. The man had collected perhaps hundreds of works on the city, ranging from histories of particular neighborhoods to maps of the subway system and census results. He selected a volume at random from the shelf and sat down to read.

There were no clocks in the room to track the time, and only by the light of one small, high-placed window was Hux able to track the transition from day to night. "I am glad to see you have found my library."

Hux stood immediately upon hearing the voice. "Lord Snoke. It's good to see you again. I'm afraid I wasn't able to properly introduce myself yesterday evening. I am Brendol Hux Junior, pleased to make your acquaintance." He extended a hand, which Snoke took.

"Yes, Herr Hux. I remember your name from our earlier correspondence. I am impressed by your accomplishments. After reading of your firm, I expected you to be older."

"I am a junior partner in my father's firm, sir." It could go unmentioned that many of the accomplishments had been his and his alone, with little to no assistance from his father or the other partners. "A bout of consumption several years ago left him unable to travel long distances, and he sent me in his place." The consumption had somewhat limited the elder Hux's ability to travel, but it had little to do with the current arrangement. Hux had orchestrated every detail of the sale, and even his father did not fully understand all the details of the purchase.

Snoke nodded. "A son taking on his father's work, then. Just as it should be."

"It does ensure stability," Hux agreed.

"That it does. It is a good model, one that has worked for centuries, and I fear that you in the West are abandoning too readily." Snoke appeared as if lost in thought for a moment, but he quickly returned to their conversation. "I have a son of my own that you will be meeting with shortly. I wish you to take him back to England with yo, so that the two of you together might finalize the arrangements for my own arrival."

In their months of correspondence, Hux had never seen any mention of a son. "Further arrangements, sir?" He had been under the impression that this trip was meant to finalize any last details.

"I am a particular man of highly unusual needs, Herr Hux," Snoke began. "Though I have the utmost confidence in your abilities, my son understands my peculiarities better than any other. With you to help him navigate London, a world with which he has no familiarity, I am convinced that his presence will ease my transition tremendously."

Just as Hux could have, had he been given notice of these needs. Still, some things were best left unsaid. "Then I look forward to meeting your son."

Snoke smiled at him, and though he had no doubt the expression was genuine, worry curled in Hux's stomach. "I look forward to it as well. Though you are very different, I imagine the two of you will get on rather nicely."


	4. Beyond any Honour or Dishonour

"Now, if I am not mistaken, the servants should have set supper out. I forgot to mention to them that I ate while I was away, but I am sure you are hungry, Herr Hux."

Not terribly, but he did not want to be rude. "Supper sounds wonderful."

Snoke smiled, revealing unusually long, pointed canine teeth. The people in this area of the world were physically quite remarkable. Then again, they more than likely thought his Celtic red hair and green eyes unusual. Hux could not pretend that his views were more objective than that of another.

"Then come, friend." He rose gracefully from his chair and led Hux back into the main room. There, a full meal awaited them. A man sat at the table, and when he saw them, he stood. Though he towered several inches over Snoke's head and his powerful build could hardly be further from that of his father's, Hux immediately spotted the family resemblance. Snoke's son shared his father's pale, nearly translucent skin and full, plush lips. "Herr Hux, I am pleased to present to you my son, Kylo Ren. Kylo, this is Brendol Hux, the solicitor who will be completing the purchase of our new estate."

Hux bowed his head. "It is a pleasure to meet you." He extended his hand, and Ren took it. A shudder went through him at the sensation, a shudder that couldn't fully be explained away by how Ren's hands felt cold as ice.

Ren responded with a smile so wide as to be almost mocking. "We are honored to finally make your acquaintance. I have heard much about you these last few months - all good, I assure you."

And yet Hux had not known of Ren's existence until not ten minutes prior. He decided it best not to comment on that. "Thank you. It has been an honor to work with your father these last few months. I am glad to finally meet you both."

Ren must have sensed that slightest hint of spite in his voice, for he gave Hux another one of those smiles before glancing towards the table. "Would you care for a glass of wine, Herr Hux? The vines here are better than any you'll find in England."

"Yes, please."

At that point, Snoke interceded. "Please, let us sit down to eat. Herr Hux has so little time with us. It would be a shame if the only sarmale he tasted was cold."

They sat down, and after his first bite, Hux had to agree. The dish, ground pork mixed with rice and onions and wrapped in a cabbage leaf, tasted nothing like anything he had ever had before. He had not eaten since breakfast several hours earlier, and though he often went so long without eating while at work, tonight, the instant food hit his tongue, he felt ravenous. It took him a long moment to realize that neither of his hosts had yet taken any for themselves. He knew that Snoke would not eat, but surely they had not had so much food prepared for just one person. "Are you not hungry?" he asked Ren.

"I ate a very large meal this afternoon. No, I think I will keep to wine." He lifted up his glass, which he had been nursing the entire evening. Perhaps it was just a trick of the light, but Hux could swear that the liquid inside was darker than that in his own, and from the way it moved as Ren brought it to his mouth, he believed it thicker, more viscous as well. Hux could not tear his eyes away as Ren took a long drink. It was impolite, and he ought to know better, but the view as the man's Adam's apple bobbed in his throat was spellbinding. Were Hux asked to name the most handsome men he had ever come across, Ren's would never be brought up. Still, he had to admit that there was something unusually attractive about the man. Dark hair kept longer than any Englishman would dare, lips so plump and red as to be nearly pornographic, broad shoulders…

He forced his thoughts back to the matters at hand. The sale required his undivided attention. He would do well to remember that he was here for business, no matter how exotic the locale or its inhabitants. Hux directed his attention towards Snoke, surely the safer of the two men to focus on. "You mentioned that you wished me to accompany your son to London?"

Snoke nodded. "Yes. If you are amenable, I would that you departed the day after tomorrow." He glanced up at the clock, which showed it was well after midnight. "Or the day after today, as it might be."

"I would be very amenable." He had business to attend to in London and had already been gone too long. Though Snoke's was their largest and most intricate project, the office of Hux & Patton always had a huge number of cases open, cases with clients who would take their business elsewhere if they felt they were of secondary concern. "What do you wish to review before we leave?" Surely there was a purpose to this visit beyond serving as Ren's guide?

"We can discuss those matters tomorrow," Snoke replied. "For now, I would very much like to hear more of your London as you finish your meal."

"Yes, eat. You're no use to us as skinny as you are." At Ren's words, something in the air changed. He could not quite identify what had incited it, but goosebumps erupted up and down Hux's arms at the words. Though one would not phrase an encouragement so bluntly in polite society, both Snoke and his son had shown that their hold on the English language was less than masterful. He had not been the only one to notice Ren's odd choice of words. Snoke glared at his son, and the expression was met with no sign of deference or apology.

Hux tucked the incident away for later contemplation and took another bite of sarmale. He could feel Ren's eyes on him, and heat began to creep up his neck.

He was saved from embarrassment by Snoke's voice. "Tell me of London. I want to know everything about my new Star Killer."

"It is very old," Hux began, relieved to at last be firmly back in his element. "The previous owner was not able to provide an exact date for me, but after examining the records and the style of architecture, I believe it dates back to the fourteenth century at least."

"Good. I do not want a new home. It is best to be surrounded by history, as I am here."

"Then I believe you will be very pleased with your purchase. The manor has been added on many times over the years. It could practically serve as a history of English architecture." After seeing Snoke's library, Hux was certain the man already knew all of this and more, but his job remained to ensure that the client was well-informed of their purchase.

"And the neighborhood?"

"It is practically a neighborhood unto itself, given the expansive grounds. I believe that you could only see your nearest neighbors from the upper floors. Beyond that, the neighborhood is pleasant. Most of the properties in the area are similar to Star Killer in age and size." He kept his eyes trained on Snoke as he spoke, but he could still feel Ren's gaze on him, so intense as to be almost tangible.

They continued on in this vein until late into the night, only an hour or two before dawn, when Snoke again looked at the clock. I have kept you far too late, Herr Hux. I hope you will excuse my curiosity and feel no need to rise early this morning."

He suppressed a yawn. Ren and Snoke must be more accustomed to such late nights than he, for neither showed even the slightest hint of fatigue. No matter what, he had to soldier on. "I am glad I was able to answer your questions. I want you to feel confident in your purchase."

"And with your help, I do." Snoke bowed his head. "Now, friend, sleep."

"Thank you for the meal. It was very good." His head was swimming, perhaps from exhaustion, perhaps from the wine that had flowed so freely over the past several hours. Every time he finished a glass, Ren had pressed another upon him, and the vintage was so good that Hux had lacked the heart to argue. "Good night, Lord Snoke." He turned to Ren. "And good night to you as well. It was a pleasure to meet you."

"And you as well, Herr Hux." He felt himself being pulled in by Ren's eyes, deep and dark and impossible to resist. "I do hope our partnership will be a successful one."


	5. Something Magnetic or Electric

So late was the hour that Hux collapsed into bed without bothering to first undress, only tossing his tie away before he crawled under the blankets. The wine in this country must be more potent than those he had enjoyed in England, for a deep sleep claimed him the instant he hit the mattress.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Hux heard the door open, saw the dimmest of lights leak in from the outer room. But that couldn't be, for the man had returned, and dreams did not bother with practicalities. Hux moaned deep in his throat as that incredible mouth returned to his, nipping at and tugging on his lower lip until it was red and swollen. The man's body weight pushed him deeper into the mattress, and the vulnerability it brought made his blood race through his veins. Ice-cold fingers combed through his red hair then trailed down the side of his face toward his neck, dexterously undoing the top few buttons on Hux's shirt. When the man broke the kiss, his breathing was heavy. Hux leaned up to kiss the man's forehead, his brow bone, his hairline, greedily taking any shred of contact he could. He whined deep in his throat when the man, _Ren_ , a voice inside him whispered, pushed him back into the pillows and moved down towards his neck.

For several heartbeats, Ren lathed at the skin over his pulse point with his tongue. Hux held onto Ren's shoulders like a vise, fingers digging into both the fine linen of his shirt and the cool flesh below. When Ren's teeth finally broke through delicate skin, Hux lost all control. He arched up with a mewl to grind his erection against Ren's thigh.

Ren chuckled, sending electricity jolting through Hux, and his teeth moved away. "Patience," he murmured, his voice deep and rich. He slipped open another of the buttons on Hux's shirt and pulled the cloth away, revealing the top half of his chest to the cold air of the room. Goosebumps rose all across his chest, and Hux's nipple felt stiff and almost painfully erect as Ren rolled it between his fingers. "Lay back," he said, and Hux forced his body to relax back into the mattress.

"Very good," said Ren, and only then did he return his lips and teeth to Hux's neck. Soft, wet suckling noises mixed with labored breathing and thudding heartbeats in a maddening choir, one that Hux could only keep at bay by grasping and clawing at every inch of Ren's skin he could get his hands on. He had no patience for buttons, so he tugged at Ren's shirt, pulling it loose from his trousers. With the shirt gathered under his armpits, Hux was at last free to explore. And explore he did, his fingers admiring the muscle that defined the man's upper back before following the curve of Ren's spine down towards his abdomen. His ministrations were accompanied all the while by Ren's steady sucking.

He was beginning to feel lightheaded, but Hux still pushed on. "More," he gasped as he tugged at Ren's thick, dark hair. The man didn't respond, didn't even pause his lips' movements. "More," Hux repeated, louder this time.

Ren groaned against his neck and moved his hands down towards Hux's hip, and Hux groaned in encouragement. He scraped his fingernails along the side of Hux's waist before pawing at bony hips. Fingers trailed towards Hux's front, and his eyes drifted shut as he wiggled his hips, tempting Ren's hand in towards his erection.

A terrible hiss filled the room, and teeth dragged roughly against his neck as Ren's weight suddenly disappeared. Hux's eyes snapped open as he pushed himself upright, only to be greeted by the sight of Ren across the room, his features twisted and monstrous. Blood dribbled down from those horrible teeth, lips distorting around that hiss. Hux tried to get up, to back away, but with an inhumanly fast movement, Ren was there, pinning his shoulders against the headboard. The mattress sagged as Ren climbed onto it. The man, if he could still be called that, cupped Hux's face in one hand, fingernails digging into the skin there. He moved his face in close, not allowing Hux to look away. His breath was warm on Hux's lips, and now, without the fog of passion, it smelled rank with blood and decay. Hux wanted to shut his eyes, to conjure up some piece of resistance, no matter how futile, but Ren's eyes kept him locked in place. Petrified, he could only stare into those rich brown eyes, and his world narrowed until only they existed, everything else fading away into nothingness.

He collapsed, boneless, back against the headboard, his mind perfectly blank.

* * *

Hux woke with a start, his heart pounding against his ribcage. He scrambled upright, eyes wide and darting around the room, searching for any hint of Ren.

He found nothing. His shoulders sagged as he leaned back against the headboard. It had been merely a dream. It must have been. He forced himself to take several long, deep breaths to dispel the last whispers of terror, but still, several clung to him. Hux rose on shaky legs and hurried for his trunk. There was one way to dispel any doubts. He flipped open the compact mirror and turned it towards his neck.

His blood froze when he saw the twin cuts. Each began with a clean, deep mark and veered off in a jagged trail. Both were fresh. Hux raised his hand to the area and tried to fit his fingernails into the marks, but they were much too large to have made the incisions.

The mirror shattered as it fell, and Hux stumbled back towards the bed. His hand brushed something strange, and when he examined it, he found the blanket stained red with dried blood. His stomach roiled, but Hux ignored it. He could not afford to let himself panic now. Though his heart beat easily twice its normal pace, he forced himself to remain calm.

He removed his shoes, for they caused too much noise against the stone floors of Ucigas Stele. As quietly as he possibly could, Hux tiptoed into the main room, the one where he had been served dinner the night before. Again, he tried each of the doors, but he found them locked, just as they had been the day before. Taking some security in the fact that he had never seen either of his hosts after nightfall, Hux chose a door at random and tried to force it. It made a violent noise as it rattled in its frame, but it would not budge. He had no doubt that any attempts on the other doors would end with similar results.

Next, he tried the library window, the only window in any of the unlocked rooms. It was located well above his head, but Hux would not be deterred. He dragged one of the chairs next to it, grimacing at the deafening noise it made as it scraped against the floor. Still, no one came to stop him, and he climbed up onto it. Even then, the window was at least a yard above him. Though they were rough to the touch, Hux struggled to find purchase on the stones that formed the walls of Ucigas Stele. He soon gave up on climbing, and with a jump powered more by fear and desperation than any true physical strength, he managed to grab ahold of the slim ledge, leaving him dangling several feet above the ground. Hux pulled himself up with a grunt.

The view that greeted him was anything but encouraging, for he looked out on the cliffs on which the castle had been built. Even at this hour, late in the morning, fog clung to their sides, obscuring the ground beneath and creating the illusion that the fall truly was endless. There would be no escape through that route; of that much, he could be certain.

Carefully, Hux dropped down onto the chair. As he sat down to think, he felt something digging into his thigh, and when he reached into his pocket, he found the cause. He pulled out the small wooden crucifix, and as he studied it, the events of the night before flashed before his eyes. Hux leaned back into the wooden chair to think, his thumb never stopping with the small circles it made over the crucifix's smooth surface.


	6. Weak as Water

He had never had much use for religion. The appeal for the weak was obvious, for it gave them a sweet, luring, and most importantly false hope that something good would come to them once their miserable lives were over. Hux saw no use in waiting meekly for that good life to come to him when he could take it now. Nevertheless, he found himself slipping the crucifix around his neck, the weight of the cross comforting against his breast bone. Perhaps he was one of the weak. That thought did not bother him as much as it normally would.

Only an hour of daylight remained. Soon, his captors would emerge, and he would again be subject to Ren's unusual desires. Hux reached up to finger the cuts on his neck. They had only fully scabbed over in the last hour or so, and he shuddered to think of the damage Ren could do if allowed another opportunity. Yes, he could try to stop Ren, but last night, he hadn't wanted to. In lust's haze, Hux would have allowed Ren to bite and suck the very last drop out of him. He ought to say no, but he knew he wouldn't. Hux could hardly fault Ren for seeking such experiences, for he knew well the pleasure of leaving a man bruised and bloodied after an encounter. He understood that satisfaction of knowing that you held that kind of power over another human being, and obviously there were others that craved the same. What he had not expected was his willingness to be the poor, abused boy left behind at the end of the night.

As the sun set, Hux wondered if Snoke knew of his son's proclivities. Certainly no British father would allow their son to pursue men, particularly not under their own roof, but Transylvania, he reflected for the hundredth time, was nothing like England.

So as to not raise their suspicions, he moved to the library as the last remnants of daylight disappeared. Hux would like to know where it was they retreated to during the day, but there was no reason for him to be sitting in the main room when they came. Here, he could act as though he had spent the day reading. He chose a volume with which he was already familiar and opened it to a spot a few hundred pages in.

He heard dishes rattling out in the main room. Hux would bet almost anything that no servants worked in Ucigas Stele. After days in the castle, he should have seen some sign of the help, but meals appeared only when his hosts did. Snoke had always kept him company for at least a few moments before Ren arrived, providing plenty of time for the other man to slip into Hux's room and make the bed. Even the driver who brought him to the castle easily could have been Ren, for he shared Ren's strong build and had gone to unusual lengths to hide his face. He was truly alone with the two men. The thought brought him no comfort.

Just as he suspected, the door opened a moment later. "Have you had a pleasant day?" Snoke asked.

He looked up from the novel to smile at him. "Yes, very."

"I am glad." Tonight, the man's thin, claw-like hands felt threatening as they gestured him into the other room. Hux's heart thudded in his ears when the door shut behind him.

Ren took the same position that he had the night before, seated at table, lounging back, drink in hand. He nodded at Hux as he entered. "Did you sleep well, Herr Hux?" he asked as he raised the glass of thick, red liquid to his lips.

Hux couldn't take his eyes away as those full, plush lips settled around the rim of the wine glass. With every drop, they seemed grow more full and red and vibrant, and he couldn't help but think about how they had latched onto his neck the night before. "Yes, very," he finally choked out. Ren smirked at his discomfort.

"I hope you have enjoyed your time in our country," Snoke said, seemingly oblivious to the exchange. "I am saddened that you must leave tomorrow. We have enjoyed having you as a guest. Your presence brings a life to the castle that it hasn't had in years."

"Thank you. You have been wonderful hosts."

He and Snoke would have managed to keep up a polite conversation, but of course Ren had to ruin it. "Our train arrives at midnight tomorrow. We will need to leave just after dusk if we do not want it to leave us behind."

Good. He had less than twenty-four hours left to spend in this horrible castle. Barring any difficulties with the trains, he should be out of the country, never to return, within three days. "Will you be bringing much luggage? We might want to be there earlier if you'll have many trunks to load." If his suspicions were correct, leaving earlier was not an option for Ren, but he left the possibility open.

"I will only have grooming products and one large box of personal effects. There is no reason for us to leave before nightfall."

He had suspected as much. Sensing that the conversation was winding to a close, Hux saw his opportunity and reached for it delicately, the way one might try to catch a butterfly to pin on a collector's board. He turned to Snoke. Ren could be ignored for now. "I was wondering if perhaps you might be able to tell me more of your country. It seems a very rich place, full of foods, legends, even entire cultures that I am not familiar with." The legends were of particular interest, but he would be happy enough just to pass these last few hours before dawn in the relative safety of Snoke's company.

As Snoke began to speak, and Hux had learned that the man could speak at length about nearly any topic, so vast was his knowledge of the world around him, Hux looked over to catch Ren's eye. He allowed one side of his mouth to curl up in a smirk that only broadened as the other man glared back at him.


End file.
